“NBA Legend Larry Bird Announces New Initiative to Mentor Aspiring Young Athletes”
Legends profile: Larry Bird The Celtics’ legendary playmaker is the only person in NBA history to win MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in a career.
Every generation or so, a player truly deserving of the title “superstar” emerges. Larry Bird was one of those players. During his 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979–1980 through 1991–1992, Bird embodied hustle, consistency, and excellence in all facets of the game — as a scorer, passer, rebounder, defender, team player, and, most importantly, as a clutch performer. Bird was so self-assured that he was known to waltz up to the opponent’s bench prior to tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. He was also such a deadly shooter that he occasionally practiced 3-pointers with his eyes closed. Of Bird’s peers, perhaps only Earvin “Magic” Johnson was thought to be a better passer.
Bird embodied the spirit of “Celtics Pride.” He was a sophisticated, self-assured, diligent player who flourished under duress and motivated teammates to achieve success. Similar to Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and Dave Cowens, the humble Bird was a player who elicited the best performance from those around him instead of hogging the limelight. However, none of those great athletes filled Boston Garden, thrilling spectators and controlling matches the way that Bird did.
Bird played a significant role in the rebuilding of the Celtics, a team that had struggled with bad play and low attendance in the late 1970s. The Celtics won 10 Atlantic Division titles and three NBA titles with Bird at the center of a well-rounded team. Apart from his trio of championship rings, Bird amassed an incredible array of personal accomplishments. He became the first player to win three straight NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, and only the third player overall. He was also a non-center. In addition to being a 12-time All-Star, he was named to the All-NBA First Team nine times and the NBA Finals MVP twice. Four times, he was the league leader in free-throw percentage. A devoted perfectionist, Bird was admired by basketball purists of all stripes as well as Celtic supporters. His dramatic last-minute actions, which ranged from seemingly.
In 1992, after winning a gold medal with the first Dream Team at the Olympics in Barcelona, Larry Bird announced his retirement from the NBA due to a debilitating back issue. Commissioner David J. Stern stated of Bird, “Larry has helped define the way a generation of basketball fans has come to view and appreciate the NBA.” Nestled in Indiana’s corn land, in the tiny hamlet of French Lick, Bird’s legend began with a simple life led by his family. With 2,059 residents, the majority of them attended Springs Valley High School’s home games. This is a state that takes schoolboy basketball very seriously. Attendance frequently reached 1,600, and everyone was there to watch Larry, the blond-haired shooting star with a quirky smile.
Bird had a hard time adjusting to college life. Although he was formerly an Indiana Hoosier, he eventually departed the squad and the university under the great Bobby Knight’s coaching. Then he departed Northwood Institute, the junior college in the area. After two unsuccessful seasons at Indiana, a perennial Big Ten power and national title contender, Bird finally enrolled at Indiana State, where the pressure was not quite as great.
When Bird first came to Indiana State, home game attendance was usually about 3,100. However, much like he had done at Springs Valley, Bird was able to get his club up to a respectable level and beyond. During his rookie season, he averaged over 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Sycamores. Sales of season tickets soared. TV stations replaced ads with video snippets of Bird. Eight hours before tipoff, students skipped class to be in line for tickets. In Terre Haute, “Larry Bird Ball” was the most popular sport. The Sycamores upset a Michigan State squad led by 6-foot-9 guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson in the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, one of the most widely watched events in sports history, after they had gone undefeated and peaked at No. 1 during Bird’s senior year.
